Plastic moldable composition useful as a fish bait

ABSTRACT

A composition for use as a fish bait is produced by blending fat characterized by an overall melting point above about 90* F. and a solid fat index above about 25 at 70* F. with appropriate quantities of water, casein (or caseinates), filler, and emulsifying agents to produce a moldable, semisolid, plastic material which retains its adhesive properties even after prolonged use in contact with water.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Dee R. Morgan 1994 North 800 East,Logan, Utah 84321 [21 App]. No. 768,929

] 22] Filed Oct. 18, 1968 [45] Patented Sept.2l,197l

[54] PLASTIC MOLDABLE COMPOSITION USEFUL AS A FISH BAIT 7 Claims, NoDrawings [52] US. Cl 99/3, 99/9, 99/20, 99/118 [51] Int. Cl A01k 85/00[50] Field of Search 99/1,2, 7, 3,20, 222, 14,18, 19,115, 162,l78;43/4l42; 252/ 1 86-1 87 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,555,088 5/1951 Irwin 43/41 2,874,048 2/1959 Walldov 99/3 2,904,436 9/l959 Auerbach 99/3 3,260,674 7/1966 Ross 252/186 3,322,544 5/1967Yakstis 99/3 3,361,566 1/1968 Axelrod 99/3 3,410,689 11/1968 Nathan..99/3 X 3,428,459 2/1969 Hinds 9/3 OTHER REFERENCES US. Dept. of InteriorFishery Leaflet 28 1946) pp. l6 19 HachksChemical Dictionary" caseinpage 173 Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkoff Assistant ExaminerF. E.Drummond Attorneys-Mallinckrodt & Mallinckrodt, P. H. Mallinckrodt andPhilip A. Mallinckrodt PLASTIC MOLDABLE COMPOSITION USEFUL AS A FISHBAIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field This invention relates tocompositions of matter constituting artificial fish baits.

2. State of the Art Processed cheese and compositions containing cheesehave become popular as fish baits. These are used in generally the samemanner as are natural or live baits, but have the advantage of beingcapable of prolonged storage so they are available for use without thenecessity of obtaining a fresh supply before each fishing trip. Adifficulty common to such baits in greater or less degree is that theydecrepitate, i.e. loose their adhesive characteristics, when placed inwater or kept there for any length of time. Moreover, cheese is arelatively high-cost ingredient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The composition of the present invention,although similar in consistency and appearance to fish baits made fromcheese, has superior physical properties and is manufactured from muchless expensive ingredients. It has more plasticity and elasticity thancomparable cheese products and retains its cohesiveness even afterprolonged contact with water.

In producing the composition of the invention, fats or oils ofprescribed physical properties are blended with any one or more of avariety of forms of chemical casein or caseinate, one or more fillerssuch as skim milk or whey solids, water, and emulsifier, to produce amoldable, semisolid, plastic material. Other ingredients, such asstabilizing gums, preservatives, coloring, and artificial flavoring, maybe included but are not essential. The manufacturing process involvesmerely mixing the materials together and heating them to a temperaturewhich produces a viscous, but pourable, homogenous liquid. This liquidmay be poured directly into packages appropriate for retail sales andallowed to cool and solidify therein.

The proportioning of ingredients in the composition is highly variable,the preferred proportions depending largely upon the characteristics ofthe fat being employed. Suitable fats have a solid fat index of at leastabout 25 at 70 F. and an overall melting point of at least about 90 F.The higher the index and the higher the overall melting point, thegreater the proportion of fat which may be included in the product.Although an optimum fat content for the product is presently consideredto be about 15 percent by weight, satisfactory products may include aslittle as about 5 to as much as about 25 percent by weight, based on thetotal weight of the composition, about to about percent by weightconstituting the normal range. The term fat is used in its broadestsense herein and in the claims to include either a solid or a modifiedliquid fat having the prescribed melting point and solid fat index.Thus, liquid fats such as oils and fluid waxes may be modified invarious ways, conventional in the industry, to meet the specificationsfor the claimed composition. Natural fats such as beef or sheep talloware excellent and are generally available at low cost. Various fats ofthe type known in the art as coating fats are also suitable. Fats andoils which do not meet the specifications of fats for use by thisinvention may be hydrogenated, fractionated, or otherwise modified tosynthetically produce satisfactory physical properties for use. Forexample, coconut oil may be hydrogenated to produce a satisfactoryproduct having a solid fat index of about 30 at 70" F. and an overallmelting point of about 93 F.

The amount of chemical casein to be included in he composition is moreclosely related to the properties of rather than to the quantity of fatincluded in a particular composition. Thus, fat is usually included tothe maximum permissible extent, and chemical casein is included inquantity necessary to provide the desired plastic and elastic propertiesfor the composition. Without regard to the specific amount offatincluded in the composition, casein is normally present in amountsranging from about 10 to about 30 percent, preferably less than about 20percent, by weight, with about 15 percent by weight usually beingconsidered optimum. The term chemical casein is used herein and in theclaims to denote neutral casein, a metal caseinate, notably sodiumcaseinate, and a casein salt derived from milk.

It is desirable to include as much water as possible in the composition,about 40 to about 60 percent by weight being the normal range.Accordingly, emulsifiers and fillers are included in the composition toprovide the requisite stiffness and firmness. Usually, in an optimumproduct, the filler will be present in about the same range as thechemical casein, but satisfactory compositions include from about 5 toabout 25, preferably between about 10 and about 20 percent, by weight ofthe filler. Suitable fillers include cheese whey solids, corn syrupsolids, sugars, vegetable or cereal flours such as wheat starches,vegetable gums, and skim mild solids. When skim mild solids areemployed, somewhat less chemical casein need be added separately becauseof the casein constituent of such skim milk solids. It is not possibleto introduce all of the casein requirement in this fashion, however.Sufficient filler is included to render the composition stiff, whilesufficient emulsifying salt is included to render the composition firm.

Any of the conventional phosphate, polyphosphate, pyrophosphate,phosphonite, tartrate, or citrate emulsifiers known to the art may beemployed. Examples of suitable emulsifying agents are monosodiumphosphate, disodium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, trisodiumphosphate, sodium metaphosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, tetrasodiumpyrophosphate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium tartrate,sodium tripolyphosphate, tartrate, sodium trimetaphosphate, tetresodiumpyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and phosphonates such as N(CH POH,) and N(CH PO;,Na The emulsifier is typically present in thecomposition in amounts ranging from about 1 to about 3 percent byweight. Greater amounts, while tolerable, are ordinarily of nosignificant benefit.

The pH of the composition of this invention is a significant factor andis influenced by the pH of the emulsifier used. Although the preferredpH varies somewhat, depending upon the specific ingredients of thecomposition, it should in nearly all cases be between about 5 and about7. Ordinarily, compositions with pH below about 5.2 tend to crumblewhile those with pH above about 6.2 tend to be unduly sticky. The pHrange of about 5.5 to about 5.9 is preferred, with pH about 5.7 beingconsidered optimum in most instances. When an emulsifier of low pH, suchas sodium acid pyrophosphate is used, it should be mixed with sufficientphosphate of higher pH, e.g. tetrasodium pyrophosphate, or other basicmaterial, e.g. an alkali metal hydroxide, notably sodium hydroxide, toavoid reducing the pH of the fish bait composition to the point that itbecomes crumbly. Similarly, when a strongly basic emulsifier is used,its pH effect should be appropriately balanced, e.g. by addingphosphoric or other compatible acid to the composition, to avoid unduestickiness.

DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT To 14 parts of rendered beef fatwas added eight parts of sodium caseinate, 20 parts of skim mild powder,one-half part Locust bean gum, 1.4 parts sodium acid pyrophosphate, 0.6parts tetrasodium pyrophosphate, 0.2 parts potassium sorbate. and 55parts water, all parts by weight. The mixture was heated to F. in asteam-jacketed cooker. and sufficient cheese coloring was added toimpart a natural cheddar cheese color to the composition. At cookingtemperature. the product was a viscous but pourable liquid. The mixturewas poured into widemouth glass jars and allowed to cool. Upon coolingto room temperature, the product was a semisolid plastic compositionwith good molding properties and had a pH of 5.77.

lclaim:

1. A semisolid, plastic composition useful as a fish bait and having theproperties of plasticity, elasticity, and moldability upon heating andsolidifying, and comprising a substantially homogeneous mixture of fathaving a solid fat index above about 25 at 70 F. and an overall meltingpoint of about 90 F.; sufficient metal caseinate to impart plasticityand elasticity; and water, filler, and an emulsifying agent in relativeproportions, imparting a firm and tough consistency to the composition;said composition comprising by weight about 5-25 percent fat; about -30percent metal caseinate, about 5-25 percent filler and about 4060percent water.

2. A composition according to claim 1 limited to about 10 to aboutpercent by weight fat; less than about 20 percent by weight of thecaseinate and about 10 to about 20 percent filler.

3. A composition according to claim 2 wherein the tiller comprisessolids selected from the group consisting of milk solids and wheysolids.

4. A composition according to claim 3, having a pH of about 5 to about7.

5. A composition according to claim 4, having a pH of about 5.5 to about5.9.

6. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the fat is select thegroup consisting of beef tallow and sheep tallow.

7. A composition according to claim 6, wherein the tiller comprises milksolids.

2. A composition according to claim 1 limited to about 10 to about 20percent by weight fat; less than about 20 percent by weight of thecaseinate and about 10 to about 20 percent filler.
 3. A compositionaccording to claim 2 wherein the filler comprises solids selected fromthe group consisting of milk solids and whey solids.
 4. A compositionaccording to claim 3, having a pH of about 5 to about
 7. 5. Acomposition according to claim 4, having a pH of about 5.5 to about 5.9.6. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the fat is select thegroup consisting of beef tallow and sheep tallow.
 7. A compositionaccording to claim 6, wherein the filler comprises milk solids.